Dental Implants

Do You Need Dental Implants in Epsom Auckland?

People lose teeth all the time either from trauma, decay, infection or old age. Some people simply accept this fact and never do anything about it. This is unfortunate. Your teeth are vital to the aesthetics of your smile and contribute to maximum dental and overall health. If they fall out or are extracted, it is necessary to replace them. Don’t let a gap in your smile impact your health, relationships, profession or self-confidence. It’s time to give dental implants from Alpers Dental in Epsom, Auckland serious consideration.

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Why do I Need to Replace Missing Teeth?

Your teeth play a role in your digestive system, your speech and your appearance. They also promote strength of the jawbone; the more you chew, the stronger the bone and the more support for your teeth. When teeth are missing, it throws off the symbiotic relationship between the bone and the teeth, and the jawbone starts to deteriorate. Neighbouring teeth loosen, shift out of place to fill in the gap, and could fall out completely if you do not seek treatment.

What Exactly are Dental Implants?

Many people refer to the entire prosthetic as a dental implant, but technically, the implant is just the screw made from a titanium alloy. The dentist secures the dental implant in the jaw, just as a natural tooth root. After oral surgery, the biocompatible alloys (metals accepted by the body) fuse with the jawbone. This provides support for the abutment and crown that make up the rest of your prosthetic tooth.

The Three-Stage Procedure for Dental Implants

Stage 1: Placing the Implant

Our dentist administers local anesthetic or other forms of patient sedation to keep you comfortable during surgery. The dentist then surgically places the implant in the jawbone, flush with the bone, but below the gumline. The surgical procedure can take anywhere from one to two hours per implant.

Stage 2: Placing the Abutment

Usually, after three to six months, the implant fully integrates with the bone and is sound enough for a permanent crown. Our dentist will secure a post or abutment (a connector piece) to the dental implant. This portion will protrude through the gumline and must be protected from chewing forces while the gum heals (usually just a couple of weeks). If the conditions are right, our dentist can sometimes place the abutment at the same time as the implant.

Stage 3: Final Restoration

Our dentist will again check for signs of infection and ensure the full osseo-integration (fusion) of the dental implant. Once cleared, our dentist will place the permanent prosthetic tooth or teeth.

Dental Implant Aftercare

If going without teeth during the healing process is a concern, our dentist can provide you with a temporary crown or bridge. Then, you can carry on with normal activity minus the unsightly gaps in your smile. However, you still must try to avoid putting too much pressure on the implant. The temporary crowns are not meant to bear full biting force.

Are They Safe?

Titanium alloy, the material used in dental implants, is almost never rejected by the body. In fact, the procedure has a 93 per cent to 99 per cent success rate with some implants lasting as long as 30 years or more. The reported complications involved with the procedure are few and rare, but they include a failure of the implant to fuse with bone or damage to adjacent anatomical structures during surgery. At Alpers, we keep risk to an absolute minimum through extensive assessment and pre-operative planning. Though there may be a need for occasional re-servicing, our dental implants are safe and built to last.

To find out if you are a good candidate for dental implants contact Alpers Dental in Epsom, AK at (09) 524-5056 and schedule an evaluation.